Atlanta @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 15, 2018 ) Miami 2, Atlanta 5

The Miami Marlins long since turned their focus toward 2019 and beyond, which is giving rookies like left fielder Austin Dean a chance to get valuable big-league experience entering Thursday’s opener of a four-game home series against the Atlanta Braves. Promoted to the majors on Aug. 15, Dean has hits in his past three games and finished 3-for-5 in Wednesday’s 9-3 home triumph over the New York Yankees to raise his average to .269 through six contests.

One of the biggest storylines of this series was removed Tuesday when Miami pitcher Jose Urena accepted his six-game suspension, issued after he hit Braves rookie outfielder Ronald Acuna with a pitch Aug. 15 that sparked a bench-clearing altercation. Acuna hit his first homer since the plunking leading off Wednesday’s 2-1 victory at Pittsburgh, his 13th homer in 32 games since moving into the leadoff spot in the lineup. The Braves have scored 605 runs this season, the fastest the franchise has reached 600 since 2007, and enter the series leading the National League East by three games over Philadelphia. The Marlins have won three out of their last four following a six-game losing streak, a skid that included being swept in a four-game series at Atlanta last week.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), FS Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Sean Newcomb (10-6, 3.73 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Elieser Hernandez (2-6, 5.08)

Newcomb has hit a bump in his first full major-league season, giving up 12 runs on 21 hits over 9 1/3 innings across his past two starts. The 25-year-old endured a similar stretch in his final three starts before the All-Star break (a 9.75 ERA while going 0-3), but rebounded after to allow just one run in each of his next three outings. Newcomb is 3-0 in three starts against the Marlins this season, allowing two runs on nine hits in 18 innings.

Hernandez makes the sixth start of his rookie season and 27th appearance, and in 15 2/3 innings across his past 11 games (all relief appearances) he has posted a 1.15 ERA with 16 strikeouts and just four walks. That stretch began after an abysmal 2 1/3 innings of relief July 7 at Washington in which the 23-year-old gave up 10 runs on eight hits. Hernandez, who is 0-4 with a 4.50 ERA in his five starts, has surrendered one run on nine hits over eight innings against the Braves in four games this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta LHP Jonny Venters recorded his second save of the season Wednesday - his first with the Braves since Aug. 22, 2011.

2. Miami INF Miguel Rojas, who entered the season with four homers in 358 career games, hit his 10th homer of the season Wednesday.

3. Braves C Kurt Suzuki did not play Wednesday after suffering a bruised left triceps when he was hit with a pitch Tuesday, but is expected to return this weekend.

PREDICTION: Marlins 6, Braves 4